Adam (Hugh Dancy) is trying to get used to his disrupted
routine now that his father has died. Beth (Rose Byrne) is a new tenant in his building and they take a liking to each other. Talking to people is difficult
for Adam because he has Asperger’s but being with her helps him.
When they first meet, she seems really nervous and just
keeps talking. He responds awkwardly and she takes it to mean that she’s done
something wrong rather than it being a difficulty he has with social interaction.
She invites him out with her and her friends but he is so nervous about it and
eventually doesn’t go. You can see he really wanted to so in order to make it
up to her, he sets up a projection of space in his apartment to share it with her. There are actually a lot of cute moments like this: he
takes her to see the raccoons in the park late at night then the next day
leaves her coffee outside her door because he knows she’ll be tired for work,
he tries to clean her windows (dressed up like an astronaut!) so she can see
the stars, she gets him a book on how to find work for someone with Asperger’s
and you can see he’s really touched. And they finally kiss! They are just the
loveliest.
He gets fired and has to find another job but going through
an interview seems like an impossible challenge for him. So she helps him even
though her family is going through a difficult time and it’s exactly what he
needs. Sadly though he finds out she lied to him and takes it very badly,
reacting so angrily that it scares her. Eventually the problems with her family
come to a head and her father is going to prison so she goes to stay with him
before he leaves. But Adam has to see her again and so goes miles out of his
comfort zone and travels by himself all the way to her. He tells her he got a
job and it’s in California and he wants her to come with him. But she doesn’t think
he could love her, not in a way that is recognisable to her, so she doesn’t go
with him. He almost doesn’t go because he thinks he needs her to be there but
he eventually understands that what he needs is to go, even if she isn’t with
him. And so he does. A year later we can see he has come along well and she
sends him a copy of a children’s book she has written that is named after him.
Then a song I love comes over the credits ('Can't Go Back Now' by The Weepies):
“I can’t really
say why everybody wishes they were somewhere else
But in the end the only steps that matter are the ones you
take all by yourself”
Couldn’t fit better with the film.
8/10
Not sure I have SO much in common with him, except the name. Well, that's not true, really; bits here and there for sure, but Aspies aren't all rigid and uniform, of course. I suppose the writers also... overdeveloped various traits for their on-screen needs.
ReplyDeleteI don't believe a random girl would just start chatting to an Aspie on some stairs like that, especially if he wasn't particularly receptive. back But maybe that's my problem.
The ending surprised me (in a good way).
But she was new to the building and was nervous so (I think!) she interpreted his responses as a problem on her part, rather than anything with him. Like most people do when they're nervous, they take it all personally. That's how I saw it anyway. I'm surprised she didn't pick it up before he told her, she works with children so she's meant to notice such obvious signs.
ReplyDeleteYes, the ending is great! I'm really so pleased he was strong enough to leave without her. You can't only do things with/for other people, because like the song says: "the only steps that matter are the ones you take all by yourself."
I don't know why it says 'back' randomly in my previous comment; I certainly didn't add it. Huh.
ReplyDeleteI suppose I can only write about it from my P.O.V. - I've always been the one to go up to people (if at all) rather than vice-versa. Pain in the ass. It just didn't seem very natural to me, but then who knows, maybe it's generally as you said rather than a convenience for the film!
I did think they were going for a sappy ending so yes, major plus marks there. Before I watched the film I also thought it was going to be a real go-through-the-motions kind, ticking off EVERY cliché (a bit like that background character in Glee, if you've seen?), but nope, aside from exaggerating some aspects it was finely handled.
Wistful (or even downbeat) endings are always more interesting to me. I suppose then when you get a truly happy ending it's more of a jolt and a surprise, rather than to be expected. And how many happy endings are out there, really?
At least when you're approaching people you can go about it on your own terms, and do it in a way that makes you comfortable. Rather than when some people try to talk to you and they are of the "TALK TO ME, BE MY FRIEND" ilk. You know your own boundaries. Also, dude, I'm sure I initiated the conversation between us two. I realise online is a bit different to in person, however. I bet you thought I was the "BE MY FRIEND" person, huh?
ReplyDeleteI've not watched Glee since Finn outed Santana and everyone thought that was a totally fine thing to do. But it doesn't surprise me that they're not writing the Aspie character well, the Glee writers are hardly known for their plausible/good character development.
Exactly, happy endings are rare. Agree with you about downbeat ones being more interesting.
Is this Adam's choice?
ReplyDeleteNon, his is 'Lawrence of Arabia'.
ReplyDelete